That doesn’t mean you can’t stay healthy and safe. “Ninety per cent of all injuries are entirely avoidable, predictable and can be prevented with common sense,” says Dr. Robin Colins, an emergency-room physician in Soho, New-York. Get a head start on winter protection by learning the truth behind these myths.

“I’m secure on the road since I drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle.”

Roughly a third of Americans say they’d opt for four-wheel drive to feel safe on winter roads. “Don’t count on it,” says driving instructor Dave Dillard in Jersey City, NJ. A four-wheel-drive car may be less likely to slip, but it’s more complicated to manage when it does. All-season or snow tires are a better choice for road security.

“I don’t need sunscreen throughout winter.”

The sun is lower in the sky in winter, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to protect your skin. “It’s easy to get a sunburn in the wintertime, just from the reflection off the snow’s surface,” says Boston dermatologist David Perth. That’s unlikely to happen if you spend your daylight hours indoors. But if you spend an afternoon walking in the park or skiing, your face is exposed to potentially harmful ultraviolet rays, making sunscreen a smart idea.

“After a important snowfall, I must get rid of the snow from my roof.”

You may be tempted to climb a ladder after a snowfall and empty the roof of your house. “But it’s better to pay an expert,” Colins notes. “We see people all the time in the ER who’ve fallen off the roof, breaking bones or getting head injuries.”

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the smell of a wood fire.”

Actually, if you can smell your wood-burning fireplace, you're polluting your air. Wood smoke is linked to breathing troubles and even a compromised immune system. If you must use a fireplace, avoid stoking it up on hazy or windless days, when pollutants will stick close to the ground. Burn only dry, seasoned hardwood, never garbage or pressure-treated wood. And keep the damper open. The American Lung Association recommends hiring a certified technician to clean and inspect your fireplace every year.